Tubby Smith Leaving Kentucky for Minnesota

Lexington, KY (WVLT) –Kentucky Coach Tubby Smith has been chosen University of Minnesota's NEW basketball coach.

Smith tells Volunteer TV's sister station WKYT-TV that he is going to Minnesota to "check it out." However several media outlets, including WKYT, WCCO in Minneapolis and the Associated Press say Smith will be named as the new head coach for the Golden Gophers.

Smith, along with his wife Donna and four officials from the University of Minnesota, boarded a plane within the hour at the Lexington Airport.

Quoting sources, WKYT reports Smith called a meeting with his players in Kentucky around 2:30 p.m. this afternoon to announce that he would be taking the job at Minnesota.

In an interview with WCCO's Mike Max on WKYT Max said "Tubby Smith's name never, I stress never, came up until today."

Max says a news release is expected from the University of Minnesota tonight and that a news conference could take place as early as Friday.

Online Public Information File

Viewers with disabilities can get assistance accessing this station's FCC Public Inspection File by contacting the station with the information listed below. Questions or concerns relating to the accessibility of the FCC's online public file system should be directed to the FCC at 888-225-5322, 888-835-5322 (TTY), or fccinfo@fcc.gov.